Tales of the Soul
by HyoMyo CN
Summary: NarutoRomancecollection..Cherry Blossom Wilting;sakura knows sasuke's not hersbut what will she do now?,Heartbreak and Defiance;hinata mourns,why? Who will care?,Salvation;betrayal from one u trust..more may come..PLEASE R&R!, more to come..not all romanc
1. Cherry Blossom Wilting

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Naruto or even the city of Konoha. I don't own anything related to Naruto except for my story! Which is really sad….. I don't even own Shikamaru! Waah!! -hugs teddy bear-

**Authors Note**: This is the first story I've actually posted. I've written more...I just haven't gotten around to posting them. 0.o...hehe… Anyway this is my first romance story ever!!! Yaay!

-holds up teddy bear- Polar helped me a lot even though he doesn't like romance and stuff like that.

**Cherry Blossom Wilting**

The wind was blowing fiercely, stripping the cherry blossoms from the trees and tossing them about before leaving them- a trampled sodden mess. The rain pounded into the ground and beat a tattoo on the roofs of the village. It was supposed to be the worst storm in Konoha history and everyone was safe inside. Everyone but Sakura Haruno. No one had seen her slip away from the party and run down the street. She wanted to run forever, leaving it all behind her- but she couldn't. She collapsed beneath the cherry trees and let the tears run down her face, mixing with the rain and mud.

"He hates me! He's always hated me," she sobbed, "I've been a fool!"

The wind shrieked at her as the rain drove into her skull, soaking her completely. Even then Sakura didn't care, as the fury of the storm barely matched the storm raging inside of her. The pain only numbed her to the memories as she was reminded of all the times she had thrown herself at Sasuke and all she had missed because of her childish infatuation. Yet it still hurt to know it could never be. And what she had lost –Ino's and Naruto's friendship, the possibility to be truly great-hurt even more. All those opportunities-gone.

"And in the end, it was useless!" Sakura cried to the barren trees, "Sasuke doesn't love me, he doesn't love anyone!"

Sakura cried as if her heart would break- but it already had. It had broken each time Sasuke rejected her. Now it had shattered, and her tears continued unabated, racking her body. The storm grew stronger and slammed down as thunder began to roar. Still she didn't move, never opened her eyes, never saw him walking up to her. He stood over her, watching her cry.

"Aw, jeez," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he knelt down beside her.

"What's a no talent kuniochi like you doing outside in this storm?" he asked her.

Sakura jumped, hastily wiping her eyes, "Sh-Shikamaru! What are you doing here?!"

"Looking for you."

"Wh- What?"

"You left the party and nobody could find you, not even Naruto knew where you were."

"They were looking for me?" Sakura's spirit lifted.

"No."

Sakura's shoulders slumped as any hope she had was crushed by her own worthlessness.

"Oh…that's okay." She tried to smile but she couldn't the pain was too much. Her heart was a sinking lead weight crushing her fragile, crystal dreams and those shards were cutting her to shreds. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Sakura turned away, not wanting Shikamaru to see her cry.

"Thank you… Thank you for looking for me…Shikamaru," she said, her eyes turned away from him, "I'll be fine."

She turned to go, her head bowed and her spirit weighing her down.

"Rrrrgh, this is so troublesome!" Shikamaru grumbled, frustrated. He grabbed her arm, "Sakura-Chan, listen to me," his voice was low and filled with urgency as he turned her around, "Sasuke may not love you but Naruto will always be your friend. Whether or not Sasuke loves you changes nothing about you or anyone else."

Sakura merely shook her head. He didn't understand, he didn't understand how long she had sought to impress Sasuke, how long she had been infatuated with him, how much she had lost because she had fooled herself into believing he could return her love. Shikamaru's efforts only caused her more pain at all the trouble he'd gone through only to have them fail, and the memories of her wasted years hit her with all the force of a tidal wave breaking and tearing her down.

"I'm sorry… I just can't believe that," she murmured, her voice breaking with withheld tears. Shikamaru searched her face, trying to understand her, figure out a way to tell her what he needed to say, had needed to say for a long time.

"Sakura…."

"Please… Shikamaru. Just leave me alone," she pleaded, "I'll be fine…somehow."

Shikamaru stared at her trying to figure out what to say next, but this time, when it most counted, he couldn't think of a plan; the words just wouldn't come. She slipped out of his grasp and backed away, leaving. He had to stop her, find a way to keep her here, if he didn't he knew she would never come back. Only he couldn't get the words out, the ones that would make her stay. He grabbed her again, stopping her.

"Sakura…listen…I…you can't…,"he stopped, despairing at his own inability to stop her. He stared at the barren trees, searching for the solution, for inspiration, knowing he was losing her with every second he wasted. He turned back to her, searching her eyes for the answers.

"You are the most troublesome girl I've ever..," he stopped, shaking his head angrily. "Damn, stupid no-talent kuniochi! You……arrgh!"

He stared at her, searching for some hint that she understood what he was trying to say, he found none. Slowly, not knowing what come over him, not wanting to frighten her, he bent towards her, kissing her ever so lightly.

Sakura could barely believe it, all this time she'd wanted her first kiss to be from Sasuke but now she realized it would never have felt like this, this simple sweet ecstasy that brushed her soul as lightly as butterfly, painting it with the bright colors of joy. Slowly, her eyes closed and she relaxed in his arms feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like eons. When he pulled away, she felt like she was in heaven.

"Sakura… I love you." He whispered, worried that he made a mistake. Sakura simply smiled at him and his heart soared.

"Come on. Let's go back to the party." She said, taking his hand.

The wind howled, thunder roared, rain drilled into the ground, and lightning split the skies, but this time no one noticed. This time it was simply a storm that would pass, like all storms, no matter how fierce. It would pass, wiping everything clean and leaving the skies clear.


	2. Defiance in the Silence of Heartbreak

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Naruto. If I did I'd be signing autographs, not writing fanfics. Stupid people_.

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Silence hung heavy in the air. The bird song was subdued, almost as if the silence, the stillness, was something to never disturb. Even the sun seemed oppressed by the silence and dared only to send a few watery rays down. Yet even these weak rays shined on the few things they never should have touched. An empty playground made even emptier by the absence of children's laughter. A lake and waterfall surrounded by beauty but lacking life while the green of lush plants mutes the water's roar. Dust stirring along a vacant road, in an emptier, more silent village. Silence had become a word for sadness and stillness a word for grief.

Weeds grew profusely over ground once worn to dirt by constant use; shadows covered that which was once lit. Only a single graceful iris, hued a defiant red, stood tall and defied this silence, this sadness. It seemed to rejoice as the wind ruffled its delicate petals, indeed it was the only thing that seemed to dare to rejoice life and the living. Celebrated life, unlike the young girl who kneeled beside it, shaking as tears ran down its tall, pointed leaves. So it had been since the day she had planted it. Given the sun, company, and with tears and sadness it had grown into a proud and defiant reminder that life goes on, even when you wish that you could turn back the clock of time and start from the beginning. But everyone must succumb to fate and destiny. This he had known. He had known about fate and destiny but had forgotten that they aren't the same. It was his fate to die, and his destiny to save one he had hated. Now she mourned, as did the entire village, an unexpected hero. A hero who gave his life so that one, and in the end, many, could live. Today everyone mourned him but she had wept for him for days. Forever, it seemed she would cry for her cousin. Neji had saved her and she did not deserve it. Each day these thought tormented her. Each day her tears watered a plant born of heartbreak and tears. Sunrise to sunset her tears rained down, inside her soul and out. Yet no one seemed to see her pain, no one thought it to be more than the tears of a weakling who could not hide her emotions. In the end, the cries of a tortured soul belonged solely to an abandoned training field. Her tears drowning the silence and the sound of the blond-haired boy watching her from a few feet away.

"Hinata."

The girl's head whipped around as her water-filled eyes widened.

"N-n-Naruto!"

"He died for you because he wanted to. There's nothing you could have done to change that," he told her fiercely, stepping closer."

"B-B-But…" She stammered as she tried to think of a way to speak the thoughts that tormented her without sounding like a fool.

"He could have left, Hinata. If he had waited until they killed you he'd be alive. Do you think that he would have saved your life if he knew you were going to waste it?"

"N-Naruto," not knowing what to say tears began to fill her eyes, her soul lifting and her heart mending at the thought that someone cared. Someone believed Neji's sacrifice was worth it.

Reaching out his hand, Naruto spoke, "Come on, let's go."

Smiling she took his hand and left, not looking back. For life goes on and can never be stopped. With the death of one thing another can grow.

So it is with a grass-filled glen that became a worn training ground. And a worn training ground to being abandoned to the weeds and the shadows. Thus it became the home of a solitary defiant iris and soon a brilliant red glen. A constant reminder, a constant memory of what is lost and what is always gained.

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Hyo-Myo says: HI!!! If my stories seem dark or morbid it's because I wrote them at 11:30 at night while listening to Evanescence. I'm sorry. Wait, no I'm not. Polar things I'm crazy and so do I.

F.Y.I.:I case you hadn't noticed this takes place in the future not anytime now. Think 17-20. Maybe.


	3. Salvation

A/N: This story includes clans and characters that I have created and intend to use in other non- fanfics stories. If you say something nasty about it or try to take them, Polar will have revenge. … Polar is my helper. This story is his favorite… By the way, this is another of those stories I wrote at 12:00 at night while listening to Evanescence. I'm sorry if it scares you. I won't do it again, I promise.

–A rock hits her on the head, making her bleed.-

- rubs head as blood runs down face

Polar says I will and that I shouldn't lie. So I will do it again. Oh well… Now, where'd I put those Band-Aids…?

T.T O.0T.TO.0T.TO.0T.TO.0T.TO.0T.T

"Maret, what are you doing?!" Kasema asked staring at her only friend. Maret's hands flew as he began a jutsu, but there was no one to attack. Except her.

"M-Maret… you're not-" She couldn't say it, couldn't believe it. Maret had been her only friend when her clan cast her out. He had saved her every time they tried to kill her, calling her a demon. He understood that her powers were simply a result of the Shadow Clan's rare kekkai genkai…didn't he?

"Kasema…prepare to die. Your evil will no longer taint this world!" Maret spoke with the conviction born of years of hate. Then Kasema knew but she still couldn't believe it. All those times he had saved her life, all those times he had told her that he cared, that he understood, were nothing but lies. All of it had been solely to get close enough to kill. Kasema couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't think.

"He betrayed me. He doesn't care. I'm alone. He betrayed me. He lied," was an endless litany running through her head, paralyzing her. She could only stare in shock as the full force of a shadow spear impaled her. As she fell to the ground she could only think was that this couldn't be happening. Even when Maret looked at her with eyes of hate and disdain, when said "Goodbye, Kasema," as he turned and walked away.

Only as she lay there watching the clouds pass by and the trees sway in the wind while her life slowly soaked into the ground did it sink in. Maret had hated her more than anyone else in the clan and because she was stupid enough to trust him she was going to die here, far from home. Tears filled her eyes as she thought of all the people she believed had loved her, only to turn away and try to kill her. She had no one and she knew she couldn't trust anyone. Yet she had trusted Maret.

"_I was fool but now….Now I don't have to always be on my guard." _Kasema's thoughts became clearer as the world slowly grew blurry and dark, _"I can finally have some peace….But why? I don't understand. Why does everyone hate me? I've done nothing wrong!"_

"Why?" she asked as the darkness swept the world into nothing and her eyes closed.

"Why?"

Voices floated through the woods, both male and female. A blonde boy dressed in orange saw the black haired girl lying on the bloodstained ground first.

"She's dead!" He yelled.

Three other people converged on the ground around her. A silver-haired man kneeled down beside her and checked her pulse.

"She's not dead."

"She sure looks dead," the blonde boy managed to say before a pink haired girl slammed her fist into his head.

"Naruto!" she yelled, "We need to get her back to the village; maybe they can help her."

"Let's go then!" Naruto yelled with his usual exuberance, which the pale, black haired boy did not share.

"Whatever."

"I'll take her back, you three can stay here." The silver haired man told them, oblivious to everything that was happening. Gently picking the girl up he raced away with the other three following him, feeling satisfied that they had just saved a life. And they had, but little did they know that they would save a broken soul and mend a cracked heart with their simple act of humanity. And they never would, for Kasema would never tell them. After all, secrecy was one thing she knew well. The Shadow clan had taught her that much.


End file.
